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Azerbaijan Events

Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia have been independent states for more than 23 years. Although geographically contiguous, they differ in language, religion, and political and security orientation. How is each country faring in state-building, developing democracy, and improving economic performance? What are their relationships with Russia and the West, and with each other? How does their historical experience influence current developments, and what are their long term prospects?

Russia's annexation of Crimea and support of separatists in eastern Ukraine is having ripple effects throughout Eurasia. But what has been the impact in the immediate neighborhood, the South Caucasus, Moldova, and Belarus as well as Ukraine itself?

Mapping the development of the Eastern Partnership initiative, the European Commission released a progress report on the six Eastern Partnership States: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The report outlines accomplishments achieved so far and indicates critical policy areas where more attention is needed. It also serves as a reference for the EU’s approach towards the Eastern Partnership and, more specifically, the allocation of funding in the next seven years. This assessment comes one month after the EU discussed the “European Package” of incentives, intended to supplement the Association Agreements being discussed with several of the six states. Georgia and Moldova have initialed the Association Agreements last year and will be among the first countries to sign them this year.

This summer, the European Union's alternative source of natural gas was finally decided: the Shah Deniz energy consortium in Azerbaijan chose the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) over the much-discussed Nabucco project, to bring 10-20 billion cubic meters of gas a year through Greece and Albania to Italy. Now the question remains: what next for the Southern Energy Corridor? Was TAP the right choice? Will Nabucco's original route to Central Europe be realized? How will Russia respond?

The Islam in Eurasia Policy Conference combined the latest scholarship and informed discussion of the critical issues facing the U.S. Government in this key part of the world as 2014 approaches. It was the culminating event of a multiyear research project supported by Carnegie Corporation.

The race to build the Southern Energy Corridor to bring Caspian natural gas to Europe is in its final stages. The Shah Deniz consortium in Azerbaijan is set to once and for all decide the long-pending "Nabucco question". How will this improve European energy security? Experts from Baku's Center for Strategic Studies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan gather to discuss this, as well as other pertinent questions at a roundtable discussion co-hosted by the Global Europe Program and the Kennan Institute.

Bayram Balci, Visiting Scholar, Middle East Program, Carnegie Endowment, analyzed the various aspects of Shia and Sunni revival, including the roles played by Turkey and Iran, and how Azerbaijan is reacting to these “new” religious cleavages. In his talk he contended that the Islamic influences from Iran (Shia) and from Turkey (Sunni) are recreating new dividing lines between Azerbaijani Shia and Sunni Muslims.

This conference addressed the economic and geopolitical implications of increased connectivity and cooperation resulting from large infrastructure projects in the Caucasus region. Speakers included representatives from the Embassies of Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as industry, think tank and U.S. government experts. Cosponsored by the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security.
Video from the event is now available.

Nagorno Karabakh is often referred to as one of the former Soviet Union’s “frozen conflicts” with little explanation of how the conflict “froze” or might “thaw.” Jennifer S. Wistrand, Title VIII-Supported Research Scholar, Kennan Institute draws upon twenty-two months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Azerbaijan, shedding light on some of the socio-cultural factors impeding both the peaceful resolution of the status of the region on a geopolitical level and the “successful” integration of Azerbaijan’s refugees and IDPs into mainstream society. Particular attention will be paid to the long-term socio-economic and mental health consequences of not resolving the status quo, especially for refugee and IDP youth.

Jamil Hasanli, former Wilson Center scholar and professor of history at Baku State University will discuss his latest book, "Stalin and the Turkish Crisis of the Cold War, 1945-1953." Hasanli will explore the ups and downs of Soviet-Turkish relations during and immediately after World War II.